Police shot black boy after seconds on scene

CLEVELAND (AFP) – US police officers shot dead a 12-year-old black boy carrying a replica gun within seconds of their patrol car arriving on the scene, a surveillance video released Wednesday showed.

The sudden end to the incident has stoked anger at police tactics in the United States, in the wake of rioting triggered by a decision not to prosecute a white officer who killed an unarmed black teenager.

Tamir Rice died in hospital in the US city of Cleveland, Ohio on Sunday when two police officers, responding to a 911 emergency call, confronted him in a city park.

The footage shows Rice walking on a sidewalk playing with the toy, at one point aiming the replica weapon at a passerby, before sitting in a park gazebo.

A patrol car pulls up and an officer emerges from passenger side of the vehicle with his gun drawn, immediately shooting Rice as he walks toward the car.

Video grab shows Tamir Rice, who was shot by a police officer at a recreation centre – AFP

Despite the short duration of the incident, Cleveland officials said Rice had ignored police orders to raise his arms and that the youngster had reached for his waist before he was shot.

“Three commands were given to put up his hands,” deputy police chief Edward Tomba told reporters.

Cleveland police also released audio from a 911 call placed before officers arrived from a man saying a person that was probably a juvenile was holding a gun that he suspected was a toy.